Strain A Master and Lucy Story
by Blue-Jackal
Summary: I wanted to show the strain that clearly occured in The Master and Lucy's relationship between "The sound of drums" & "Last of the Timelords".


The silver Mercedes, that was a nice photograph. All silver, shiney and expensive looking, parked outside a high class London restaurant.

Harry had bought the car as a gift for Lucy just after he had proposed to her.

Lucy thought back in reflection. The photograph had been taken by one of Harry's aides, just prior to Harry having to leave for an interview with one of the many news channels. He looked gorgeous in the picture. He wore one of his fine expensive suits and was stood behind Lucy with his arms wrapped romantically around her. She, in turn, wore a black evening dress with a designer handbag.

Naturally the picture had been 'leaked' to the press and used by the tabloids to portray Harold Saxon as a faithful family man, but Lucy had kept the original and filed it away with many others in her photograph album.

She turned the page...

Lucy smiled proudly at the next photograph. In it she and Harry were sharing a gentle dance after a very formal dinner onboard the liner Queen Mary 2. They had gently held each other close as they had shared this slow dance onboard the worlds most prestigious cruise ship. Lucy remembered the twin rhythm of Harry's two hearts as the couple had slowly swayed in each others arms to the gentle music.

Naturally, once again, this had been somewhat stage managed. The shipping company's directors had donated a vast sum of money to the Saxon campaign, and it had been only right to be seen onboard their flagship vessel in return. Indeed it had proven a wise decision, as more money had soon followed.

Lucy sighed slightly at this memory. How she would love to be taken on a cruise like that again by Harry. The Valiant certainly had nothing on this fine cruise ship but, sadly, there would be no more visits to the Queen Mary 2. It had been hit during the Toclophane's decimation of Humanity and had sunk in the Atlantic with the loss of all onboard. 'Such a terrible tragedy', Lucy thought as she mentally admonished the Toclophane, ' it would have made such a nice holiday retreat for Harry and I'.

A little tired of reminiscing, Lucy closed the photo album and looked up.

The suite they shared onboard the Valiant was vast. The decor was similar to that of the Valliant's bridge, a theme which ran through most of the 'important' sections of the ship. The suite was well lit and the lighting could easily be adjusted to suit the mood. Right now it was set to a dim, romantic setting. On the bedside table sat a bottle of Champaign, one of the worlds finest, in a flawless silver ice bucket. A bottle of Champaign on ice was set there every day. Housekeeping knew the penalty if it wasn't.

Lucy put the photograph album to one side on the bed. She pulled her white silk dressing gown tight around her despite there not being a chill.

The lighting was right, the Champaign was ready, and the two empty glasses were waiting.

Just one thing was missing.

Lucy focussed her gaze on Harry. Her husband sat at his desk a little way across the room. He was hunched over, scribbling away at something on several pieces of paper.

Earlier that evening he had excitedly rushed Lucy into their suite, gently slapping his hand against her backside as if to hurry her up. Once inside, he tugged her by her wrist towards the bed.

Throwing his jacket off and his tie with it, Harry grabbed Lucy into a tight embrace.

She wore the most expensive red dress she had ever seen, a gift from Harry earlier that evening.

Lucy could smell his aftershave as she closed her eyes and felt Harry's slight evening stubble rub against her cheek. Just a moment later his mouth met hers and she accepted his passionate, almost predatory, kiss. Running one hand up to the back of Harry's head, Lucy tried to pull him even closer to her, despite the fact that they could be no closer.

With a sudden shove from a hand just under her chest, Lucy found herself lying on her back on the bed as Harry glared down at her like a creature that had spotted it's prey and was waiting to pounce.

And pounce he did. Harry was on the bed and on top of Lucy in the blink of an eye as he pinned her by her shoulders and forced his lips to hers once again. Lucy kissed him back just as forcefully as she took hold of Harry's shirt and pulled it undone, causing the buttons to rip off.

She placed her hands around his back and, digging her nails into his skin, pulled him down against her. His skin felt hot, and his hearts were beating faster. Lucy dug her nails in again and, this time, ran them down his back with a giggle muffled by the kiss.

Harry flinched, breaking the kiss and Lucy heard him take in a sharp breath.

"Oh Lucy...My Lucy", Harry whispered then tutted, "Oh Lucy, I'm afraid you're going to have to answer for that".

Lucy raised an eyebrow and tried her hardest to stifle a grin.

Harry took hold of Lucy's arms and prised her hands away from his back and down onto the bed. As Lucy looked on, Harry slipped his hands down to her wrists and, while blowing her a kiss with his lips, forced her wrists above her head.

Harry crossed Lucy's wrists over each other and held them down with one strong hand while he ran his other hand gently, and smoothly, down his wife's body.

Lucy still smiled excitedly.

"Who do you answer to?", Harry whispered as he looked down at Lucy.

Lucy said nothing. She wasn't going to let him have his answer this early.

Harry tutted again. He leaned forward and kissed Lucy again as he caressed her with his free hand.

"Who do you answer to?", he whispered ever so faintly into her ear.

Again Lucy said nothing, just slowly shook her head whilst taunting Harry with a devious smile.

"Have it your way", Harry shrugged.

He continued to kiss her again, forcefully, as if conquering something.

And his hand, it slowly came up, and up, higher and higher, smoothing and caressing gently with each touch.

Lucy was certainly not complaining or even struggling.

Gently, Harry stroked his wife's face, her cheek, and then her neck.

"Once more...", a whisper, "who do you answer to?".

The response was a mere giggle. A giggle that turned Harry on no end, but still, not the right answer.

Lucy made a desperate attempt at a gasp when Harry's free hand grabbed her tight by the throat.

He continued to kiss her as she struggled. He leant forward a little more, bringing most of his weight onto Lucy's throat.

Lucy tried to kick out but Harry held her legs down with his own.

He could feel it, the adrenaline rushing through Lucy Saxon's body, through the veins in the wrists he held so firmly down. He could even see the movement of her single heart beating frantically in her chest. Most of all he could see something in her eyes. Fear? Somewhat. Panic? Maybe. But most of all, need. A desperate need for him to stop, because he was in charge.

Harry waited, kissing Lucy gently on the forehead. He knew she was fragile and that he had to be careful.

Slowly he released his grip on Lucy's throat.

Lucy gasped and coughed. She tried to sit up but Harry still had her wrists secure.

"Now my darling", Harry smiled almost innocently, "who is it you answer to?".

"You...", Lucy trembled from the adrenaline then coughed again, "You Harry".

Harry gently made a momentary squeeze on Lucy's throat again, "I'm sorry, who?".

"I answer to...", Lucy looked him dead in the eye, "The Master".

Harry smiled and released Lucy's wrists, "There's a good girl, that wasn't so hard was it?".

Lucy sat up and gave Harry a playful, yet exhausted nudge in the ribs. She would have answered verbally had she not been still trying to get her breath back.

"Go on", Harry nodded in the direction of the bathroom suite, "Go get changed and we'll do the rest in a minute."

Harry took Lucy by the hand and helped her to her feet. He couldn't help himself, he gave her one last slap on the backside and urged with a wink, "Don't take too long".

As the bathroom door shut, Harry sighed. That had been enjoyable.

He took off the remnants of his shirt, moved over to his desk and draped it over the back of his comfortable leather office chair. As he waited he flicked through his paperwork. Mostly chemical equations for the creation of metals unknown to this world. It would be needed to make his fleet of ships viable for his needs. What he had now, using the recycled scrap of this world was adequate for now, but stronger ships would have to follow.

"No...", Harry frowned.

"No, no, no", he picked up some of his papers and looked closer at them, "No, no, no".

He sat down and flicked hurriedly through the following pages.

"I don't believe it", he said with venom in his voice, "Wasted! Weeks worth of work wasted!"

He didn't even notice the click of the bathroom door...

"Come on Harry", Lucy placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "let's go to bed".

"Ssssh!", Harry shushed her.

"I'm sorry?", Lucy queried.

"Just, shh!", he insisted.

Lucy looked down at the papers. The contents meant absolutely nothing to her. Just lots of equations, pages and pages and pages of them.

"Whatever it is I'm sure it can wait" Lucy encouraged him.

"It can't wait!", he snapped almost under his breath. "I've been a fool! I've made an error in one of my equations! Just one little digit out! Don't you see Lucy! These equations all string together! If I'm out by a single digit in one then the rest can be written off entirely and we'll be nowhere!"

Lucy sighed.

"Harry...Come to bed, relax and then you'll be refreshed in the morning"

"Lucy I'm working!", Harry said sternly, "such a stupid error, me of all people. Oh how the Doctor would laugh".

Lucy's expression changed and her fists clenched at the mere mention of that name. Doctor.

With a look of scorn, although she wasn't one hundred percent sure who for, Lucy turned away from her husband and sat back on the bed. That was tonight out of the window, maybe she would flick through her photograph album instead...

The night definitely was indeed out of the window. Lucy looked at the small clock on the bedside table. 02:14am and Harry was still scribbling. He hadn't moved from there once, he hadn't even put another shirt on. He must be cold.

'All because of that Doctor..." Lucy thought to herself as she sighed.

Everything had been wonderful until The Doctor and company had turned up. Harry had been hers every night and she his. Everything had been fun. And thier relationship had been perfect and so enjoyable.

Things had been fine, to a degree, even after the arrival of The Doctor. There were plenty of places onboard the Valiant for she and Harry to misbehave with each other. The only thing they had to do was try not to leave any visible marks on each other...There were, after all, some things regarding the nature of their relationship that the general population need not know.

But since The Doctor had arrived, it had been as if another person had entered the relationship. A trespasser.

Not in a sexual way. No, Lucy saw 'The Master' and The Doctor as being something else and their history clearly went an awful long way back.

But the worse thing for her was the feeling that she was no longer the most important person in Harry's life.

Rather than being by his side constantly, she found he frequently wandered off to taunt this bedraggled Doctor. And when she did accompany him to The Doctor, it was as if they spoke a completely different language. Sea Devils, Axons and Cheetah people were items that frequently came up in conversation. None of this meant a thing to Lucy.

And then there was Utopia...

Lucy tried hard not to think of that place. Harry had taken her to some wonderful places during their time together. Theatre, restaurants, the cruise...but Utopia had backfired on a tremendous scale.

During the times that Lucy could push Utopia to the back of her mind she was fine. But when she dwelled on it, on the end of everything, it would lead to some very dark moments. Lucy had felt as if she had looked death in the eye. It was as if the universe, and the people remaining in it, was lined up against a wall of death and awaiting a firing squad. And everything was going to die. No matter what happens, everything would still eventually lead to this...Time would just run out. Travelling that far into the future also made Lucy look back and realise, with horror, that by this time she would also be dead as well. She would have died thousands of years ago, yet she was there, but she had to go back...and then one day die. It was too much. Far too much to take in.

She hated thinking about it, especially when Harry wasn't around, when he was with his precious Doctor. During those times, Lucy would pour herself a double Vodka and try to think of something else. Sometimes it would work. But when it didn't work, Lucy would sound very traumatised and incoherent. She even once heard a guard say that people thought she was sometimes 'a bit out of it'.

Harry had apologised numerous times to Lucy for the Utopia incident, but the damage was already done.

Lucy rubbed her eyes and tried to push Utopia to the back of her mind again.

She looked to the Champaign bottle. The ice had long since melted, no good, it would be warm now.

'Go away'...Lucy thought as Utopia's feeling of dread refused to go away.

She looked over desperately at Harry, who sat jotting things down and re-checking his work.

Lucy wanted him badly right now... It was nice to be hurt when she had these thoughts.

When the darkness of Utopia began creeping over her soul, nothing woke Lucy up or made her feel more alive than Harry Saxon.

Harry when he pushed her, Harry when he held her down, Harry when he choked her, Harry when he hit her, Harry when he would shove her up against a wall and take her...and Harry when he made love like he really meant it.

That is when Lucy Saxon felt alive, completely alive, just as she had when she first met Harry.

He never hurt her badly, he knew when to stop and Lucy certainly gave as good as she got...Harry's back was a testament to that.

02:28am... Lucy looked at the clock and shook her head.

Harry needed a break. Timelord or not, this work wasn't good for him. Besides, Lucy still hoped she may be able to persuade him to fulfil his promise of finishing what they had begun earlier'...

Lucy got to her feet, tied her dressing gown's silk cord tight, and walked over to Harry's desk.

He didn't react at all.

"Right", Lucy said.

She reached down, snatched up the page that Harry was writing on, and took a couple of steps back.

"Come on. Enough is enough for one night Harry", Lucy pleaded, "Come to bed, even if just to sleep".

"Lucy give that back! You don't know what you're doing!", Harry shot to his feet and fixed his eyes on Lucy's.

"Yes I do Harry. I'm stopping you from wearing yourself out", Lucy said then relaxed a little. "Come on", she smiled, "lets carry on where we left off earlier. I'm sure I can find a way to help you relax".

"No"

Just one word. That was all Harry said. One word. "No".

Lucy had no idea what came over her. In one moment all of her frustration came to the boil, and before she even realised what she was doing, she tore the sheet of paper in half, then tore it again.

Little bits of paper fluttered to the floor.

Harry dropped to his knees and began to grab the pieces of paper.

"Harry I...", Lucy stammered in genuine hock at her actions, "I didn't mean to. I just don't know what came over me".

"Don't say it"...Harry urged as he picked up the last few pieces.

"Harry...I'm sorry", Lucy said as Harry got back to his feet.

He stood almost nose to nose with Lucy.

After what felt like an eternity of silence..."Do it", Lucy said, almost a whisper.

Harry said nothing, he just continued to stare into Lucy's eyes.

"I can see it Harry", Lucy continued, "The anger, I know you Harry, you are The Master after all...I'm sorry, just do it".

With that mention of his genuine name, The Master's anger burst out and Lucy fell backwards sprawling on the floor.

He had hit her. Properly hit her. Not playing, not for enjoyment, but he had hit her in rage. He had punished her.

The Master flexed his fingers, looked at his hand and then at Lucy.

He had caught her just under the eye, with his ring too. That was certainly going to leave a mark in the morning.

Slowly, The Master walked towards Lucy and bent down beside her and she crawled back to her knees.

She looked at him, fearfully, her face partially obscured by her hair. The Master had never seen that look from her before.

Gently, he placed his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

"There's a good girl", he whispered, sounding like the proper Harry again.

Lightly, he rubbed the bruise that was even now starting to appear around Lucy's eye. She flinched at the sting.

"Shhhh...", The Master said in a comforting tone.

And with a small kiss to Lucy's lips, he got up and left the room.

"I'll see you in the morning Lucy".

The bridge doors opened and The Master entered the darkened room.

He pulled up a chair and sat at the table, piecing his bits of paper back together.

"Hard day at the office Master?", stirred voice from inside a makeshift tent.

"What would you know?", The Master retorted.

The Master rubbed his head. Lucy was right. He couldn't do anymore of this tonight. Events had overtaken him.

He was tired and stressed. He could do with a good massage.

He nodded to himself. He would have a massage, in the morning, from that Tanya girl - She is supposed to be good at that.

Meanwhile Lucy poured a double vodka and sat there on the edge of the bed.

Her face expressionless, her eyes stared into nowhere.

It was as if Utopia was inside of her all along, and sooner or later, something would have to give.

The end.


End file.
